 During this time the club was proud to be numbered within the vanguard of senior clubs playing at the highest level, initially as a member of the Northern Merit Tables and ultimately the National Leagues.Sheffield RUFC has a tremendous historical record and Corinthian tradition in promoting the sport of rugby union at all levels establishing a thriving youth section following the Second World War and is able to boast one of the first ‘colts’ teams in Yorkshire.The onset of the professional era and the demise of school sport within the city led to a decline in the fortunes of the first team and subsequently demotion from National League status in 2004.